Advertising and like sign



Dec. 3, 1929. G. F. wHlPPY ET AL ADVERTISING AND LIKE SIGN Filed Nov. 24. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IAN A'r'roRNEYg Dec. 3, 1929.

G. F. WHPPY ET ADVERTISING AND LIKE SIGN Filed Nov. Y24. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ILE Patented Dec. 3, 1929 UITED `STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORG-E FREDERICK WHIPPY, OF BRIXTON, LONDON, AND DOUGLAS JAMES HOOPER,

OF LONDON, AND WALLACE HERBERT THOMAS ENGLAND MANLEY, OF BItlXTON, LONDON,

Application filed November 24, 1928, Serial No. 321,670, and in Great Britain November 7, 1927.

rlfhis invention comprises improvements in and connected with advertising and like signs of the kind involving the employment of a mirror or the like for enabling the sign to be viewed during daytime by solar light reflected from the mirror or the like, and the principal object of the invention is to provide an improved form of device for showing a sign on both sides thereof. A further object is to provide an improved construction `:for rendering the characters or letters of the sign more clearly visible, and to prevent detriinenf tal action of condensation on the silvered surface of the mirror, and a further object is to enable the sign to be viewed in colour.

According to this invention, the device comprises opaque reflective surfaces such as silvered glass or polished metal plates which have parts removed to form the stencil sign, the surfaces being so disposed in relation to each other that light reflected from one surface passes through the stencil formed on the other surface, the result being that the reflective surfaces act not only for reflecting light but also are adapted to form the stencil sign. ll'he reflective surfaces are preferably in the form of' mirrors which are inclined at an angle to the vertical to form a casing of substantially V-shape in cross section, the silvered surfaces of the mirrors `being outermost. A sheet of coloured glass having light diffusing properties may be fitted over the outer surface of each mirror and these glass sheets are advantageouslyspaced apart from the silvered surfaces of the mirrors for purposes to be hereinafter described. Mirrors are also suitably provided in the ends of the casing for improving the visibility of the sign. instead of providing coloured sheets over the outer surfaces ot the mirrors or in addition thereto the sign may be viewed in colour by arranging a coloured glass top to the casing and this top may comprise strips ot different colours so that different letters or parts of the sign may have different colours, which are variable as the sign is ol served trom different angles.

The invention will now be described with reference to the practical, cert rnc-tions ilmn lustrated in the accompanying drawings in Which:- y

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section with parts in elevation of a sign embodying these iinprovements. Y

Figure 2 is a cross-section on the line ll-IL Figure l.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the sign shown in Figures l and 2, with the top cover removed.

Figure l is a perspective view of a modified construction otsign one end cover being removed, and y i Figure 5 is a transverse section of the sign shown in Figure 4r.

According to the construction illustrated in Figures 1,72 and 3 the device comprises a casing of substantially V-sliape in cross-section, the arms of the V comprising mirrors a o with `their silvered surfaces outermost, and coloured sheets of glass c al serving to protect the silvered surfaces. Portions of the silvering of each mirror are removed or scratched away to form a sign as indicated for example in Figure l in which the words Teas and loes have been formed on the mirrors a and b by removing the silvering. The mirrors and protecting glass sheets are siipported by upper and lower metal bars or strips e e which are welded or screwed on to the instal ends f of the casing. Inwardly bent metal lugs g secured to the upper metal bars c by screws g2 engage the upper edges of the mirrors the lower edges of which are held in place by metal spacers /L screwed to a horizontal portion e2 of the lower bars c oi the trame. End mirrors oft triangular shape are fitted against the end members 7 by upper lugs g` screwed to the end members and portions 7i of the two end spacers 7i. Suitable cushioning devices j in the nature of fibrous strips are interposed between the lugsg g and thc mirrors a l) and z' to protect the` latter against injury which might be caused by vibration when the sign is employed, for example, on motor vehicles. Nar row rubber or like strips le are inserted between the side mirrors a Z) and the glass sheets c Z at "oints around the perimeter, and in slitting,1 the at which the :retaining lugs f mits the passage ofsolar light during `dayg bea-r, and these strips serve to space these Side mirrors from the glass sheets. The narrow space thus provided permits the entry of air, se that the formation of moisture by condensation between the mirrorsk and the `glass sheetsc Zis prevented, with the .result ,t bythe ,provision of the e'nd mirrors which prevent fading oitheend portions or lettersot the sign and render all portions ofthe lsign clearly 'visible'even under unfavourable lighting conditions.

The top fcover Z o flt'lhe .sign consists lot a sheet of glass Z', Yhaving light diffusing properties, which is fitted in a metal yframe lr11/"adapted to' be' screwed or 'otherwise -remov- 'ablyf'connecte'd tothe' end members f ot 'the casing. The` glass l is transparentfand pertime into .the casing with the resultthatlight i's 'reflected from the silveredportion of each mirror and through tliestencilled portion of the'jother sofas to illuminate 4'the sign.

-1f desire'dthesign maybe illuminated at nighttime by'artificialliglit provided byan elongated `electriclam a supported Jfrom an :iluminumbar o placed inside the casing and mountedbetweenthe upper partsof the "casingenti members f, .through .one et which the electricconductorp is adapted to pass. The baro tis suitably o'f'channel ortrough section for-"receiving lthe V'electric vconductor `portion p leading tojthe'la'mp 'n andthe vouter surface f oi the horizontal .portion o isxburriished'or polished so as toreiiect'light i'rom the lamp through the stencilled 'mirrors in the most advantageous manner. `Theelongated form of theelectri'c lam-p is 'of particular 'advantage as 'it b'structs only the [minimum kof :solar lightpassing 'through ithe top "Z ot the 'casing vvhen't'he'sign "isbeijng 'used during `the daytime.

.henarrow strip part e2 'forming the`bottom ofthe 1V`easing isnpre'teralbly 1provided yWiithiholes or Ipertorations g .for 'the *inlet ofai'rfand for the outlet `oit vmoisture orcondensati'on.

' varied as desired and as the/particular conditionsdemand,

' According vtothe 'modified construction of 'ones and in consequence the sign when yie'wec'l irom the front shows portiensofthe Words Bagivash and 'Laundry "which .are formed by stencillmg the mirrors@ I) as before, in red and green colours according to which colourlthey lie beneath. Upon altering the angle ot observation the portions which were `previously coloured red are now coloured green and further movement again changes the `colour to red. Consequently, the varying angles at which the sign .is viewed cause the letters or portions of the signtobe visible in different colours so that a 'flickering 'action is thus imparted to the sign so -lthat it compels attention. The stencilled mirrors a o are protected by light diffusing sheets of glass c d 'and'though the respective mirrors and glass sheets are preferably Vspaced apart "by 'rubber Iinsulating strips as 'previously described 'they may be closed together as shown inthis construction.

v"We claim A 4sign having la substantially triangle shaped .cross Vsection comprising reflective suitaces, means 'for rigidly mounting said panes at an angle of substantially 45 degrees to'each other, said panes havingportions ot said opaque reflective surfaces removed to be translucent and 'to thereby form the signs thereby light reflected from yeach reflective surface 'passes through only the translucent .iortion of theother pane, a light admitting surface extending between and above said panes for admitting solar `light to said panes, a ch'annel shaped bar extending centrally from end'to'end of the casingnear the top thereof, lan electric lamp supported by saidbar, and electrical 'connections for said lamp extending 'through lone end ot the casing and Vlying -Withinthe channel of said bar.

GEORGE 'FREDERICK WHIPPY.

DOUGLAS JAMES'HOOPER.

'lill 

